KIAMBU,Kenya, Oct, 30 – During a tour of the Prisons Staff Training College (PSTC) in Ruiru, Kiambu County Friday where he presided over the passing-out parade of Prisons Cadet Officers while also unveiling several projects that support the achievement of the Government’s Big 4 Agenda especially the food security and manufacturing pillars…president Uhuru Kenyatta also revealed the reasons behind lifting the ban on visitation that had been imposed due to the pandemic.
The country’s correctional facilities are expected to resume inmate visitation more than one year since a ban was instituted at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The move, officials at the correctional facilities said was necessitated by a need to combat the spread of the deadly virus which would have proved difficult to contain at the inception of the pandemic due to challenges of sanitation and social distancing requirements as advised by the Ministry of Health.
Since the pandemic struck the country, at least 14 inmates have lost their lives according to recent statistics.
At the height of the pandemic, officials say, between four and five thousand inmates were put in quarantine facilities.
Noting that KPS had attained a Covid-19 vaccination average of 90 percent for inmates and over 80 percent for uniformed personnel, the President lifted the ban on visitation that had been imposed due to the pandemic.
“This critical mass can sufficiently provide herd immunity within the Kenya Prison Service fraternity; and is the basis upon which we will anchor the decision to review the moratorium on visitation of inmates imposed at the onset of COVID-19 pandemic,” the President said.
Also, the journey to re-opening prisons for visitations according to Ministry of Interior Chief Administrative Secretary Winnie Guchu ha been prioritized as part of the measure to address cases of mental health concerns in correctional facilities.
Speaking in Kisii prison a fortnight ago during monitoring of the COVID-19 vaccination exercise, Guchu said that that 80 to 90 per cent of the inmates and staff have been vaccinated nationally.
“When prisons were closed to visitors, it was causing stress and instability among the inmates. We want to complete the exercise and open up” She said.
The Kenya Prisons Service has since moved forward with plans to put in place mechanisms that will ease the visitation process.
The correctional facility says that adequate space is also available as authorities seek to enforce social distance guidelines across the its various facilities.
“The county government and the ministry of health have been supportive in the vaccination. That is why the uptake of the vaccine is high in the Facilities,”
The vaccination drive will target at least 50,000 inmates and 48,000 prison staff.
During a previous interview with Shahidi News, Deputy Commissioner of Prisons Florence Omondi said the move is timely and necessary since inmates have also endured mental health challenges as a result of the deprived visits.
“Mental health is very important and we have realized because of the lockdown and lack of visitation our inmates have been affected negatively. It is important they connect with their families and we welcome the move on mental health. Prisoners are people too and they experience the same challenges we do when we do not interact with our family members,” Florence Omondi, Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons said.
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